Paul Griffin; Organist and Pianist

Paul Griffin, 62, organist and pianist who played on the albums of such stars as Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin. Griffin played in thousands of recording sessions and was a keyboardist on albums by Dylan and Franklin as well as Steely Dan, Don McLean, the Isley Brothers, the Shirelles and all the albums that Burt Bacharach and Hal David made with Dionne Warwick. Griffin’s piano is clearly heard in “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.” Famous for his gospel-charged style, Griffin learned to play by sitting in the first pew of Paradise Baptist Church in Harlem and watching the hands of the pianist. When the piano player died, he became her replacement. He later studied classical music and was an occasional accompanist at the Apollo Theater, where saxophone player King Curtis heard him and offered him his first professional tour and recording dates. On June 14 in New York of an apparent heart attack.